High homocysteine levels in blood more common in west zone

Country's western part showed maximum cases of abnormal levels of homocysteine in both males and females, a major factor responsible for development of heart and blood vessel diseases, says a study report.

Country’s western part showed maximum cases of abnormal levels of homocysteine in both males and females, a major factor responsible for development of heart and blood vessel diseases, says a study report.

While mapping the all 4 zones in the country, it was found that the west showed maximum cases of abnormal levels of homocysteine in both males and females, according to SRL Diagnostics study here.

The least cases for abnormal levels of homocysteine in both males and females were found in north India.

To mark the World Heart Day, SRL Diagnostics has released a three-year (2013-15) data mining survey done on homocysteine, a naturally occurring amino acid.

According to it, approximately 50,000 samples were tested for blood homocysteine, which revealed that more men had higher than normal homocysteine levels.

The increase in the levels of this amino acid or ‘Hyperhomocysteinemia’ leads to damage of the vascular inner lining, reduction in flexibility of arteries and alters the process of how blood clots. This phenomenon is more common among men.

Higher levels of Homocysteine were seen in men in the age group of 31-45. In women, high homocysteine levels were more commonly seen at 46 years of age and above. It was observed in various clinical studies that with each 5 µmol/L increase in homocysteine level the risk of CHD events is amplified by approximately 20 per cent, independently of traditional CHD risk factors like cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking.

In women, the problem of hyper homocysteinemia was relatively less common. Pan India 73 per cent of women had homocysteine levels in the range of 0 – 15 µmol/L. The normal level for both the genders is between 4 and 15 micromoles/liter (µmol/L).